MLS stadium site review may be further delayed

A view of downtown Austin from Butler Shores. The location was taken off the list of potential MLS stadium sites last week. Acting Austin Parks and Recreation Director Kimberly McNeeley released a memo Friday requesting the Austin City Council delay reviewing potential sites.

ZACH SMITH

Posted
Friday, February 2, 2018 1:00 pm

By ZACH SMITH, HCN Sports Editor

Acting Austin Parks and Recreation Director Kimberly McNeeley released a memo Friday requesting the Austin City Council delay reviewing potential sites for an MLS Stadium.

The update says there will be no new information to review and does not suggest a date as to when the research can be presented to the council.

“Upon consensus between the suggested City of Austin properties and the Precourt Sports Ventures property analysis, City staff will commence with a robust community engagement,” the memo said. “It will be at that time City staff can select an appropriate Council date.”

The memo added that the community engagement required is estimated to take approximately three months.

The original list of five potential stadium sites was released in early December. That list was trimmed to three — Butler Shores, Roy Guerrero Park and McKalla Place — in mid-January.

Last week, City Council Member Ann Kitchen proposed a resolution that would eliminate all public parkland from the list of potential stadium sites and provide a more in-depth analysis of the site at McKalla Place.

Precourt Sports Ventures then said last Friday that it was removing Butler Shores from the list of potential stadium sites. Kitchen then said she would withdraw her resolution.

“Some in the community and he neighbors near Butler Shores have valid concerns about a possible stadium location at that site,” PSV president Dave Greeley said in a statement released after the decision. “As we have stated from the onset of this process, finding the right site for a soccer park is of the utmost importance as we contemplate bringing Major League Soccer to Austin.

“We look forward to further community dialogue and collaboration, and we remain committed to finding the best possible stadium site for all involved.”